Swept Away
by Bunny1
Summary: What happens when Boner returns from the marines?;)


"Swept Away"   
by,  
Bunny  
  
  
Note: This takes place directly after the episode "Blackout".  
  
  
_ I never had anything happen so fast.  
I took one look and I shattered like glass.  
I guess I let it show 'cause your smile told me you knew.  
That you're everything I ever wanted at once.  
There's no holding this heart when it knows what it wants,  
and I never wanted anything more than to know you.  
  
_Boner's tour of the marines had ended less than a week ago. He was now home, back in Long Island. Carol never realized how much she'd missed him until she laid eyes on him, standing in their driveway with Mike like they always used to do; making her think she was transported back to high-school rather than actually in the present time...  
  
Boner was someone she'd known all her life; since before she could remember. He was almost like a fixture until he left...  
  
On and off at times, she had fought feelings for him, but was just coming to realize he had been doing the same all of *his* life, too..._  
  
I was swept away.  
No one in the world but you and I.  
Gotta find a way to make you feel the way that I do.  
I was swept away.  
Without a warning,  
like night when the morning begins the day.  
I was swept away.  
  
_Boner sat almost tensely in his car as he was driving Carol out for some breakfast. Seeing her again, well, it made him pensive; something that did not often occur. Carol he had taken for granted; she was just... *there always*, like Mikey, like Eddie, like the life he once had...  
  
But, when he laid eyes on her again, just 3 days ago, standing there in that driveway, looking like some kind of an angel... All the feelings he had ever had for her came flooding back in an instant, rendering him speechless.   
  
He guessed it had taken the same effect on her; either that or it was just shock, because all they could do for the longest time was just stare, until they ended up rushing into each-other's arms.  
  
Was the excited squeal and warm embrace because she missed an old friend? Or was it because she was struck with the same feelings he was? He hoped it was the latter, although he began to feel disheartened when she introduced her "boyfriend", Dwight Halliburten.   
  
This guy was... well, not right for her, he decided. Well, maybe he wasn't either, but... Carol deserved better... the very best...  
  
_"Then, why am I botherin'?"_ he wondered silently._  
  
And so it begins,  
this journey of love.  
The summer wind carries us to places all our own.  
The words of a look,  
the language of touch,  
the way that you want me means so much.  
And I never wanted anything more than to love you.  
  
_Carol gave Boner a small smile as he pulled into the parking-lot.  
  
"Um---" they both began at the same time.  
  
"Naw, you first..." he blushed.  
  
"No, g'head..." she smiled.  
  
"Look, Carol... I..." he began hesitantly.  
  
"Yes?" she asked, with wide, innocent eyes.  
  
Rather than answer, he cupped her face gently, pulling her forward for a searing kiss..._  
  
Seeing my tomorrows in your eyes.  
I was swept away.  
I hope I wake up soon,  
I'm a victim of that crazy moon.  
  
_A million thoughts raced through Carol's mind in that one second; not one of them of Dwight.  
  
Almost as an involuntary reaction, she wrapped her arms around him, running her fingers through his hair, moving closer, deepening the kiss...  
  
It was as if they were running on pure instinct, rather than thinking at all, as they slipped frantically into the backseat, kissing desperately, as if their very lives depended on it..._  
  
  
The very first time you said my name,  
I knew it would never sound the same  
Something about me is changed forever..._  
  
Carol rode the elevator to Kate's apartment, shaking. What had she done? And, even though she felt *guilty*, she couldn't bring herself to feel *sorry* about it, which just made her feel all the worse...   
  
"Carol?" Kate asked in soft concern, seeing the very upset girl standing at her door.  
  
"Ummm, Kate? Can I talk to you?" she sniffed, a slight quaver in her voice.  
  
"Of course, come in!" Kate answered, dragging her into the apartment and leading her to the couch. "What happened?" she immediately wanted to know.  
  
"I... I slept with Boner!" she blurted out.  
  
"Um... excuse me?"  
  
"It just happened..." she sobbed, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. "How could I? How could I do this to Dwight? And, how did I miss this in all that time before?"  
  
"Carol... are you okay? I mean, I know you're worried about hurting Dwight, but... how do you feel about Boner?"  
  
"I love him. I kind of always have; just sort of never admitted it to myself..." she confided quietly. "But, I don't know where I stand with him right now..."  
  
"Carol, you just *slept* with the guy!" Kate exclaimed, much confused.  
  
"I know; it's backwards!" Carol sobbed. "But... I don't. He never said the words, Kate. I just don't know... And, Dwight... I made a serious commitment to him... He turned his life upside down just to be with me! Now, I have to tell him that he uprooted himself for a worthless tart!"  
  
"Oh, Carol, come here..." Kate shushed, laying Carol's head on her shoulder & stroking her hair comfortingly. "Everything will be all right..."   
  
"What if it's not?" she demanded, her voice muffled by Kate's shoulder. "What if I loose them both forever, destroy all three of us, and it's all my fault?"  
  
Kate just sighed and stroked Carol's hair comfortingly, looking up slightly as Mike came in.  
  
"Hey, somethin' wrong?" Mike asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Carol could not even bring herself to raise her head from Kate's shoulder, merely sobbing harder.  
  
"Um, maybe now's not the best---"  
  
"Carol?" Mike asked softly, kneeling down in front of her, ignoring Kate for the moment.   
  
"Want me to tell him?"   
  
Carol merely nodded, crying all the way through Kate's telling of the morning's events...  
  
  
  
"I... I have to go tell Dwight..." Carol managed amidst a crying-induced coughing-fit.   
  
"What are you gonna tell him?" Kate asked in concern.  
  
"The truth; that he's wasted all this time on a worthless tart!" she whispered.  
  
Mike's jaw tightened instinctively. He hated seeing Carol in pain like this; and he was actually kind of p*ssed with Boner for putting her in this position... More than that, he hated the self-derision in her tone; she truly believed the words coming out of her mouth...  
  
"Carol, that's just not true!" Mike said gently, reaching up to put a hand on her shoulder.   
  
"D-don't try to be nice to me *now* of all times!" she sniffled. "Not when I don't deserve it!"   
  
"Carol..."  
  
"I... I have to go... I'm sorry for dumping all this on you..." she apologized.  
  
"Carol, it's okay; that's what we're here for... If you need to talk to someone---"  
  
"Thanks, Kate... Really... But, I have to go now..."  
  
And, with that, she sort of half-ran, half-stumbled out the door.  
  
Kate sighed heavily. "I'm worried about her, Mike..."  
  
Mike bit his lip. "Um... Carol will be fine; I'll make sure of it..." he stated, grabbing his coat.  
  
"Mike? Where are you going?" Kate demanded.  
  
"Have a little 'chat' with my so-called 'best friend'..." he spat, stomping out the door, slamming it behind him.  
  
Kate fell on the couch, rolling her eyes Heavenward. "Please help them all..." she whispered.  
  
_ The flowers you gave me  
are just about to die.  
When i think about  
what could've been,  
makes me want to cry.  
  
_Carol stepped tenatively into Dwight's place. She could not break down and cry, not now; it would not help matters... She hated hurting him, but she couldn't lie; she knew the lie would hurt him worse than the truth...  
  
"Carol!" Dwight smiled.  
  
"Um, hi, Dwight..." Carol began tenatively. "W-we need to talk..."  
  
"What about my little Long-Island Peach?" he grinned, beginning to nuzzle her neck.  
  
"Uhhhh... I have to tell you something!" she admitted, slipping away from him.  
  
"Tell away, my beautiful dove..."  
  
"Um... oh, this is so hard..."  
  
"Carol, you're starting to scare me..." Dwight said softly. "What's wrong? Whatever it is, we can fix it..."  
  
"No, Dwight, we *can't*." Carol said firmly. "I'm so sorry..."  
  
"Sorry?"  
  
"I... um... I... there's someone else!" she blurted out, a bit more loudly than intended.  
  
The look on Dwight's face, especially his eyes, hurt her to the core, as he just sat down, dazed, as if he'd been struck..._  
  
The sweet words you whisper,  
didn't mean a thing.  
I guess our song is over,  
as we begin to sing.  
  
_Mike slammed his car door loudly and stomped up the stairs of the Stabone residence, raising his fist to pound on the door, but stopping himself, struck by a memory from about 3 years ago...  
  
**~Flashback:  
  
Boner stood in the Seaver driveway, for what Mike feared was the last time...  
  
"I just feel so great about this whole thing." he smiled excitedly.  
  
"Yeah? You're not nervous?"  
  
"Nah, for the first time in my whole life I feel like tomorrow's gonna be different, better, the best! I'm not gonna be just Boner anymore; I'm gonna be Private Richard Stabone."  
  
"Yeah, well, you know what? I think you are doin' the right thing."  
  
"Thank you, Mikey, me too." he said softly.  
  
"Hey, you gonna write me?"  
  
"Oh, sure. Where you live?"  
  
"Right here." Mike said, a touch exasperated.  
  
"No your address..."  
  
"15 Robin Hood Lane. You know that..."  
  
"Hey, in 13 years I never hadda write ya."  
  
"Yeah, you'd just come by..."~   
  
**_ Could've been so beautiful,  
could've been so right.  
Could've been my lover  
everyday of my life.  
  
_"It's that Boner guy, isn't it?" he asked, knowing the answer before the words even crossed his lips.  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"I have eyes... Oh, sure, I tried to pretend it wasn't there, but I couldn't help seeing the looks between the two of you... It was obvious to anyone..."   
  
"I tried to pretend, too, Dwight..." Carol admitted. "But, that wouldn't be fair to either of us, and you deserve so much better; you deserve someone to take you into her whole entire heart..."  
  
"I thought that was you, ya know..."  
  
"Yeah, so did I..."  
_  
Could've been so beautiful,  
could've been so right.  
I'll never long what could've been,  
on a cold, lonely night.  
  
_Mrs. Stabone, a small woman, answered the door and smiled warmly.   
  
"Well, hello there, Mikey!"  
  
"Oh, uh, hi Mrs. Stabone." he smiled back.  
  
"I guess you're here to see Richard... So nice having him home again..."  
  
"Yeah..." Mike almost whispered.  
  
"Well, he's out signing the papers on his new apartment, but he'll probably be back here later..."  
  
"Okay, thanks, Mrs. Stabone, I'll see ya, then..."  
  
"Okay, come by anytime, Mikey..."_  
  
The memoires of our loving  
still linger in the air.  
Like a faded of scent of your roses,  
stay with me everywhere.  
  
_Mike walked quietly up to his apartment, surprised to see Kate there, waiting for him.  
  
"Is everything all right?" she asked quickly, hopping up.  
  
"Better than all right..." Mike sighed. "It's good I didn't see him yet..." he admitted. "I got some time to think, and... well, they're grownups, Kate..."  
  
"Mike, you sound shocked..." Kate smiled.  
  
"I am..." he admitted with a sigh. "But, I 've come to realize we're not those same kids anymore. We're all grown up..."  
  
"I know..." Kate said softly, laying her chin on his shoulder.  
  
"Ya know, it's hard to belive me an' Boner are the same guys who usta fight for a spot in front of the Pizzaria window to watch "Woo-Woo" Berkowitz toss dough..." he said with a reminicent smile.  
  
" 'Woo-Woo Berkowitz'?" Kate echoed with a slight frown.  
  
"Well, her name was Sheena, but everyone called her that because... Well, nevermind, point is we've both grown up..." he coughed nervously._  
  
Every time I get my hopes up,  
they always seem to fall.  
Still, what could've been, is better than  
what could never be at all.  
  
_Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.  
  
"Saved by the bell." Mike quipped, rushing to the door.  
  
"Boner?"  
  
"Hey, Mikey..." he grinned. _  
  
Could've been so beautiful,  
could've been so right.  
Could've been my lover  
everyday of my life.  
Could've been so beautiful,  
could've been so right.  
You can long what could've been,  
on a long, lonely night.  
  
_"I'm sorry, Dwight; I never wanted to hurt you..."  
  
"I know... I understand... The human heart is a funny thing; you can't control it..." Dwight said softly, kissing both her hands.  
  
A few tears trickled down her cheeks.  
  
"Goodbye, Dwight..." she whispered, giving him a soft kiss on the mouth, cupping his cheek gently with her palm.  
  
And, when he opened his eyes, she was gone..._  
  
Could've been so beautiful,  
could've been so right.  
You can long what could've been  
on a long, lonely night.  
How can you long  
what could've been,  
on a long, lonely night?_  
  
"Come on in, Boner." Kate smiled hesitantly.  
  
Boner nodded and entered, shutting the door behind him.  
  
"Don't give me that look; I know what you did!" Mike yelled suddenly, all of his goodwill and reminiscent feelings being tossed out the window.   
  
"Carol told you we... um... made-love?" he questioned, biting his lip slightly.  
  
"No; she told Kate you jumped her bones in the back of your car!"   
  
"Look, I don't think the actual place matters---"  
  
"What about respect? Does that matter?" Mike interrupted.  
  
"I think I can handle this, Mike..." Carol said softly from the door.  
  
"Carol, stay out of this; it doesn't concern you!" Mike snapped without thinking.  
  
"Mike, it's *about* me!" she screeched, appalled. "Look, let me handle this, please?" she sighed in a calmer tone.   
  
"I guess..." he grumbled reluctantly, practically boring holes in the door with his glare as she led Boner out, shutting the door behind them.  
  
"You told Kate? And said it was alright to tell Mikey?" Boner asked, surprised.  
  
Carol bit her lip and gave him a saddened look. "You don't understand; I was confused, and a bit hurt..."  
  
"Hurt? What do you mean? Aw, geez, I didn't know that was your first---"  
  
"Boner, that's not the point! The reason I felt hurt was that I knew I'd betrayed a trust, and would have to tell Dwight and break his heart. But, I broke his heart without telling him everything..."  
  
"You didn't tell him we..."  
  
"No; I just told him my feelings for you... That was all he needed to know. Of course, now I've broken up with the one person who would turn his world upside down for me--- literally, he moved here from the Catskills just to be near me--- and, I don't even know where I stand with you..." she whispered, her eyes once again stinging with tears.  
  
"I wanted to tell you..." he sighed, cupping her face gently. "But, all those things you just said, Mikey just said, I knew 'em... They came rushin' into my head when I was holdin' you, and I couldn't get the words out to say how much I love you... How much I've *always* loved you... but I do..."  
  
"Oh, I love you, too..." she sighed, sounding a bit contented now, leaning her cheek into his palm.  
  
"I would never want to make you feel cheap; you mean the world to me..." Boner said, giving her a small kiss on the mouth. "You deserve better than for our first time to be a quick grope in the back of my car..."  
  
"No, no... It was fun..." Carol grinned slightly.  
  
"Yeah, but you deserve to be treated like a princess; always... And, I want to spend the rest of my life making sure that you get everything you deserve..."  
  
"Oh, Boner..." she sighed, pulling him close to capture his burning mouth...  
  
Carol had decided to throw Boner a housewarming party about 3 days after he had moved into his new apartment. She had taken care of everything; guests, catering, decorations... Now, she just had to get herself ready and over there...  
  
  
"Does it still weird you out, Mike?" Kate asked, straightening his tie.  
  
"Nah... well, yeah, a bit..." he admitted, making a face. "I mean, what guy wouldn't be weirded out by the fact that his kid sister is 'in love' with his best-friend? A guy, I might add, who has held that position since we were *five*..."  
  
"Mike? Why don't you think of it this way; if she has to date one of your friends, at least it's not Eddie?"  
  
At this, Mike made a worse face. "Kate, that does *not* help..."  
  
  
Pretty soon, everyone had gathered in the posh apartment of Boner's...  
  
"Well, well, well... Boner's new job must pay pretty darn good..." Jason muttered under his breath.  
  
"You're starting to remind me of my father..." Maggie chuckled softly. "Next thing I know you'll be calling him 'a quack'---"  
  
"Maggie, Maggie, Maggie..." Jason began. "First of all, he's not in the medical profession, he's an engineer. Besides... he and Carol aren't that serious..."  
  
"Keep tellin' yourself that, Jason..." Maggie smirked, patting his arm condescendingly.  
  
Jason rolled his eyes, but for once wisely decided to keep his mouth shut.  
  
"Your sister is so sweet to throw this party, Mikey." Mrs. Stabone smiled.  
  
"Yeah, guess so." Mike smiled back.  
  
"Smart little cookie..." Mr. Stabone agreed. "Pretty little thing, too... Our boy's got taste..."  
  
"Sylvester! Now is that anyway for you to talk?" Mrs. Stabone admonished.  
  
"What? I was just complimentin' the little jughead..." he stammered.  
  
Mike's face turned slightly pink and Kate had to pinch her lips together hard to hold back the laugh at the look on his face...  
  
Suddenly, all eyes turned to the front of the room as Carol called them to attention...  
  
"Hey! Boner has somethin' to say... G'head, honey..." she smiled.  
  
Boner must have turned 5 different shades of red, but he finally swallowed the lump in his throat and faced the crowd, Carol's hand in his.   
  
"H-hey, everybody... I, um... that is, we... Yeah, *we* have an announcement..." he smiled finally.  
  
"We're engaged!" Carol blurted out, holding up her hand with a nice engagement ring on it, her fingers still entertwined with Boner's...  
  
"WHAT???!!!" was pretty much the collective cry of shock from the room. Except, of course, for Boner's older brother, Mitch...  
  
"How far along are ya?" he hollered from the back of the room.  
  
"Shut up, Mitch!" Boner yelled back as Carol glared.  
  
"That's my *sister* you're talkin' about!" Mike hollered, grabbing him by the collar.  
  
"What are you gonna do about it, pretty-boy?" Mitch taunted.  
  
Angered, Mike hauled back and punched him!  
  
"Mike, don't!" Kate yelled, appalled.  
  
"Hey, Seaver, get your kid off my boy!" Mr. Stabone yelled.  
  
"Well, maybe your boy had it comin'!" Jason snapped back.  
  
"Jason!" Maggie gasped.  
  
"Well, he did!" Jason retorted.  
  
"Oh, yeah?"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
The next thing they knew, it was an all-out, free-for-all, every-man-for-himself brawl...  
  
Everyone had finally left. Maggie had had to drag Jason, Ben and Chrissy away; Jason was sort of muttering incoherently... Kate had walked Mike out, who was nursing a black-eye, and thanked her for the "interesting" evening... Mr. and Mrs. Stabone were crying, but at least were the first to congradulate them, prompting all the rest to follow suit...   
  
Mitch had been the last to leave, smacking her on the butt as he went out the door and saying, "You throw one hell of a party; invite me over anytime..."  
  
As they shut and locked the door, they both sighed, and Carol fell onto Boner's chest wearily...  
_  
__One word, that's all you said.  
Something in your voice called me,   
turned my head.  
Your smile, just captured me.  
You were in my future as far as I could see.  
And I don't know how it happens, but it happens still.  
You asked me if I love you, if I always will.  
  
_Boner pulled her close into his arms, rubbing her back gently, moving his hands up to run his fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head gently to bring her full lips up to his for a long, slow, passionate kiss...  
  
Wrapping her arms around him, Carol pulled him tighter still, deepening the kiss. Slipping her hands inside his slightly open shirt, she rubbed her hands over his smooth, muscled chest and back, finally working his shirt free of his chinos from the inside... _  
  
Well you had me from hello.  
I felt love start to grow.  
The moment I looked into your eyes you won me.  
It was over from the start,  
you completely stole my heart,  
and now you won't let go.  
I never even had a chance you know,  
you had me from hello.  
  
****_~Flashback:   
_  
****_5-year-old Mike walks into the Seaver house with 5-year-old Boner, who is crying...  
  
"Mikey, what---" Maggie began, leaving Carol, who was 4, on the couch...  
  
"Mommy, this is Boner." Mike smiled a bit proudly; he had named him, after all...  
  
"Why is he crying?" Carol wanted to know.  
  
"He forgot his pants." Mike explained with a slight shake of his blonde head.  
  
"I didn't either forget!" Boner protested. "My mother dressed me this morning..."  
  
"Um, well, let's go get you a pair of Mikey's pants to borrow..." Maggie said, suppressing a smile.  
  
"Yeah, we'll be right back, Boner..." he nodded, following Maggie.  
  
"Hi, I'm Boner." the little boy smiled at Carol, who was sitting on the couch watching TV.  
  
"I'm Carol; the smart one of the family..." she grinned at him, coming over & taking him by the hand. "You like Sesame Street?"  
  
"Yeah!" he beamed. "Bert and Ernie are so funny!"   
  
"Oh, they're my favorite... " she smiled at him, bringing him to the couch and sitting close...~_  
  
Inside, I built a wall.  
so high around my heart,   
I thought I'd never fall.  
One touch, you brought it down.  
The bricks of my defenses scattered on the ground.  
And I swore to me I wasn't going to love again,  
the last time was the last time I'd let someone in.  
  
_Finally, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom like Scarlett O'Hara, laying her on the bed gently, kissing her slowly...  
  
Both of them were completely lost in the moment; merging into one person... Everyone and everything else in the world, outside that room ceased to exist for that one, perfect, golden moment..._  
  
But, you had me from hello.  
I felt love start to grow.  
The moment I looked into your eyes you won me.  
It was over from the start,  
you completely stole my heart,  
and now you wont let go.  
I never even had a chance you know,  
you had me from hello.  
  
_Both lay in each-other's arms now, completely sated...  
  
"You... you're shaking..." Carol whispered.  
  
"I'll be all right..." he breathed, looking down at her in awe. "I love you."  
  
"I love you, too... Forever and always..." she smiled, teary-eyed.  
  
"Hey, you had me from 'hello'..." he smiled down at her, his own eyes watering a bit..._  
  
That's all you said.  
Something in your voice calls me,  
turns my head.  
You had me from hello.  
You had me from hello.  
Girl, I've loved you from hello...  
  
_3 months later, the big day had finally arrived. Carol and Boner were getting married. Maggie couldn't help the tears of joy from welling in her eyes as she beheld Carol in her wedding dress...  
  
"Oh, you look just like Talia Shire in 'The Godfather'!" she sobbed, hugging her close.  
  
"Um, thanks, Mom.." Carol smiled, blinking back tears. "Oh, don't get me crying now.. I'll ruin my mascara..." she rasped.  
  
"Oh, my little baby's all grown up..." Maggie sniffled...  
  
"Ladies, it's time..." Jason smiled, sticking his head in the door. "Oh, you look so beautiful, Carol..."  
  
"Thanks, Daddy..." she smiled back, taking his arm as the wedding-march started...  
  
Jason almost couldn't bring himself to let go as he led her down the aisle, watching her kneel at the altar, feeling like he was loosing his little girl...  
  
But, as they said their vows, a feeling of warmth came over him, knowing she was truly happy, which made *him* happy, because it was the important thing...  
  
Mike gave Carol a wide, reassuring smile as he handed Boner the rings and whispered for her ears only, "Ya done good sis; good luck..."  
  
Carol smiled back, allowing a couple of tears to now trickle down, her eyes glistening as she looked into her love's eyes, knowing even long after this day was over, that this moment could truly never end...  
  
The reception started off traditionally; the cake smashed in the faces, the sips of champagne, the tossing of the boquet and garter-belt...  
  
But, then Mike had a surprise...  
  
"As best man, it's my job to make a toast to the bride and groom." he smiled, taking the microphone. "Well, the groom is now also my brother, but that was just a formality; he was always my brother in my heart... Here's to Carol and Boner; may they always be as happy now as they are at this moment..." he said, raising his glass in a toast.   
  
Everyone else toasted, and Carol smiled softly.  
  
"And, now it is time for the first dance of the new couple." he continued, still holding fast to the microphone.  
  
As the soft music began to play, Carol and Boner stepped out to the floor, holding each-other tightly. Carol looked up in surprise when she saw Mike begin to sing...  
  
"_Show me that smile again. (Show me that smile.) Don't waste another minute on your cryin'. We're nowhere near the end, (Nowhere near.) The best is ready to begin. Oooohhh. As long as we got each other, we got the world spinnin right in our hands. Baby you and me, we gotta be the luckiest dreamers who never quit dreamin'. As long as we keep on givin', we can take anything that comes our way. Baby, rain or shine, all the time. We got each other, sharin' the laughter and love..._"  
  
  
***~The End~***  
  
  



End file.
